Okla. Stat. tit. 10, § 10-22.2

Comprehensive strategic plan – Information database – Family

resource assistance – Partnerships – Brochure.

A. This section shall be known and may be cited as the

“Investing in Stronger Oklahoma Families Act”.

B. It is the intent of the Oklahoma Legislature in enacting the

Investing in Stronger Oklahoma Families Act to provide assistance to

guardians of children, adoptive parents and other “created

families”, to assist such guardians, adoptive parents and families

to assume permanent custody of children in need of safe and

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permanent homes, and to enhance family preservation and the

stability of these homes.

C. For purposes of implementing the Investing in Stronger

Oklahoma Families Act, the Department of Human Services shall

collaborate with appropriate local, state and federal agencies and

private entities to develop by December 31, 2001, a comprehensive

strategic state plan for investing in stronger families.

D. The comprehensive strategic state plan shall:

1. Set a goal to annually increase the number of programs for

“created families” which will increase safe and permanent homes for

children who are not in the custody of the Department but unable to

reside with their biological parents and encourage and preserve the

adoption or guardianship of and other legal custody arrangements for

such children;

2. Develop and implement a statewide public awareness campaign

which will inform preadoptive homes, adoptive homes and other

persons desiring to obtain guardianship or other legal custody of a

child, of the programs, grants and other assistance available to

them;

3. Identify public and private resources, both within the

agencies subject to the provisions of this section and within the

state and within the communities;

4. Provide for coordination and collaboration among related

efforts and programs;

5. Provide for contracts or agreements with public and private

entities for utilization of identifiable financial resources from

federal, state, local and private resources and coordinate those

resources to fund-related services; and

6. Apply for grants and matching monies to assist in the

implementation of the Investing in Stronger Oklahoma Families Act

including, but not limited to, funds derived from the “Respect Life

- Support Adoption” license plates.

E. As part of the development and implementation of the

comprehensive strategic plan, the Department shall, as funds are

available and using existing available state resources, develop an

information database consisting of data on existing programs serving

families who have taken on the responsibility of providing children

with safe and permanent homes. In developing the information

database, the Department shall coordinate with the Children's

Coordinated Data System developed by the Oklahoma Commission on

Children and Youth.

F. The Legislature hereby encourages the establishment of

family resource assistance that links federal, state and local

resources and programs and that creates collaborative and

interorganizational partnerships between state governmental agencies

and private and nonprofit entities and attorneys. Such agencies and

private and nonprofit entities shall include, but not be limited to:

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1. The Department of Human Services;

2. The State Department of Education;

3. The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education;

4. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce;

5. The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission;

6. The Oklahoma Health Care Authority;

7. The State Department of Health;

8. The Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth;

9. The State Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse

Services;

10. The Department of Corrections;

11. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education;

12. Community action agencies;

13. Local and municipal groups;

14. Substate planning groups;
ty Commission;

6. The Oklahoma Health Care Authority;

7. The State Department of Health;

8. The Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth;

9. The State Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse

Services;

10. The Department of Corrections;

11. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education;

12. Community action agencies;

13. Local and municipal groups;

14. Substate planning groups;

15. Religious and charitable organizations;

16. Private child placement entities;

17. Public or private foundations; and

18. Representatives of the courts and attorneys who practice in

adoption.

G. The Department shall enter into collaborative and

interorganizational partnerships as necessary to provide assistance

to guardians, adoptive parents and other “created families”.

H. Within available funding specified by this section, the

Department may provide created families with:

1. Case management services;

2. Flexible funds to enable the relatives, guardians, adoptive

parents and other created families to meet unusual or crisis

expenditures, including but not limited to, making housing deposits,

utility deposits, or purchasing beds, clothing and food;

3. Child care and after school care;

4. Respite care;

5. Transportation;

6. Counseling;

7. Support groups;

8. Assistance in accessing parental child support payments;

9. Aid in accessing food stamps, Social Security and other

public benefits;

10. Assistance for establishing a guardianship, adopting or

obtaining custody of the child;

11. Available volunteer attorney services;

12. Mediation/family group conferencing; and

13. Community-based services and state or federal programs

serving guardians of children, adoptive families and other created

families.

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I. The Department of Human Services may provide any services

necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section by contract

with any person or with any public or private entity.

J. The Department shall, pursuant to the provisions of the

Administrative Procedures Act, promulgate any rules necessary to

implement the provisions of this section.

K. For purposes of the Investing in Stronger Oklahoma Families

Act, the Department shall, from funds available, develop, publish,

and distribute an informational brochure for guardians, adoptive

parents and other created families who provide full-time care for

children. The information provided under the program authorized by

this section may include, but is not limited to, the following:

1. The benefits that may be available to children and created

families pursuant to this section providing full-time care;

2. The procedures to access the created families program;

3. A list of support groups and resources located throughout

the state; and

4. Such other information deemed necessary by the Department.